Quezon City — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) stands united to end violence against women together with the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), other government agencies, and the public as it officially kicked off the 2024 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW), on November 25, 2024, until December 12, 2024, at DAR Gymnasium, DAR Central Office, Quezon City.

The activities for the DAR 18-day campaign were jointly spearheaded by the Assistant Secretary for Finance Management and Administration Office (FMAO), Supervising Human Resource Office (HRO) and Agrarian Reform Capacity Development Service (ARCDS) Vinci A. Beltran and HRO Director Ivy Grace S. Rivera.

With the 2022-2027 recurring campaign theme, “UNiTEd for a VAW-free Philippines” and its 2024 sub-theme, “VAW Bigyang Wakas, Ngayon na ang Oras!”, this nationwide campaign is part of the Philippine Government’s continuous effort to raise awareness, promote gender equality, and strengthen actions to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

In line with the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Anti-VAWC Act of 2004 (RA 9262), DAR’s Gender and Development (GAD) focal person Usec. Rowena Niña O. Taduran led the kick-off of the 18-Day Campaign and emphasized the agency’s commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment for women, particularly in agrarian communities.

“Now is a time when we must hold each other’s hands together. Now is a time when we must be resolute and firmly stand in our truth. Indeed, the goal of closing the global gender gap is a long and arduous journey. Hence, this is a call to action for every Filipino and to every member here at the Department of Agrarian Reform. The long-surviving truth is that before we can change the world, we must first change ourselves. And so, change must first start here with us. You have the power to help end violence against women. And your time to act is now. Individually and collectively, we can make the dream of a VAW-free Philippines a lived reality,” Taduran said.

The kick-off ceremony featured messages of solidarity and educational sessions from PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla, DAR Undersecretary for Finance, Management and Administration Office (FMAO) Lani C. De Leon, Assistant Secretary Vinci A. Beltran and Bb. Agraryo 2024 Gean Ariane R. Ponce from DAR Central Luzon, and Bb. Mindanao Angelica B. Valenzuela from DAR Central Office’s FMAO, highlighting the realities of VAW and the collective responsibility to address it.

The DAR’s 18-Day Campaign activities included a Bazaar, Poster Making Contest, the Orange Exhibit and Food Festival Contest, and End VAW Forums arranged by ARCDS Director Agnes B. Mendoza. The campaign culminated on December 12, 2024, with a series of activities including the Awarding of Poster Making Contest, Orange Exhibit and Food Festival Contest and the launching of the Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI), designed to assess progress and renew commitments to end VAW.

DAR’s participation in the nationwide advocacy to end VAW underscores its commitment to empowering women in agrarian reform communities and fostering a culture of respect and equality, ultimately working towards a safer and more inclusive society.

DAR nangakong wawakasan ang VAW

Quezon City — Nanindigan ang Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) upang wakasan  ang karahasan laban sa kababaihan katuwang ang Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), iba pang ahensya ng gobyerno, at publiko, sa opisyal na pagsisimula ng 2024 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) noong Nobyembre 25, 2024, hanggang Disyembre 12, 2024, sa DAR Gymnasium, DAR Central Office, Lungsod Quezon.

Ang mga aktibidad para sa 18-araw na kampanya ng DAR ay magkatuwang na pinangunahan ng Assistant Secretary for Finance Management and Administration Office (FMAO), Supervising Human Resource Office (HRO) at Agrarian Reform Capacity Development Service (ARCDS) Vinci A. Beltran at HRO Director Ivy Grace S. Rivera.

Sa ilalim ng 2022-2027 na temang “UNiTEd for a VAW-free Philippines” at 2024 sub-theme na “VAW Bigyang Wakas, Ngayon na ang Oras!”, ang kampanyang ito ay bahagi ng patuloy na pagsisikap ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas na palawakin ang kamalayan, isulong ang pagkakapantay-pantay ng kasarian, at palakasin ang mga hakbang upang wakasan ang lahat ng anyo ng karahasan laban sa kababaihan at kabataan.

Bilang paggunita sa ika-20 anibersaryo ng paglagda sa Anti-VAWC Act of 2004 (RA 9262), pinangunahan ni DAR Gender and Development (GAD) focal person Undersecretary Rowena Niña O. Taduran ang pagsisimula ng 18-Day Campaign at binigyang-diin ang pangako ng ahensya na lumikha ng ligtas at inklusibong kapaligiran para sa kababaihan, partikular sa mga agraryong komunidad.

“Ngayon ang panahon para tayo’y maghawak-kamay. Ngayon ang panahon para tayo ay maging matatag at panindigan ang ating katotohanan. Tunay na mahaba at mabigat ang landas tungo sa pagsasara ng agwat sa kasarian sa buong mundo. Kaya’t ito ay panawagan sa bawat Pilipino at sa bawat kasapi ng Department of Agrarian Reform. Ang matagal nang katotohanan ay bago natin mabago ang mundo, kailangan muna nating baguhin ang ating mga sarili. At dito dapat magsimula ang pagbabago. Nasa inyo ang kapangyarihan upang wakasan ang karahasan laban sa kababaihan. Ang inyong oras para kumilos ay ngayon. Sa sama-sama at indibidwal na aksyon, magagawa nating realidad ang pangarap na VAW-free na Pilipinas,” ani Taduran.

Itinampok sa kick-off ceremony ang mga mensahe ng pakikiisa at mga sesyon pang-edukasyon mula kay PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla, DAR Undersecretary for Finance, Management and Administration Office (FMAO) Lani C. De Leon, Assistant Secretary Vinci A. Beltran, at Bb. Agraryo 2024 Gean Ariane R. Ponce mula sa DAR Central Luzon, at Bb. Mindanao 2024 Angelica B. Valenzuela mula sa FMAO ng DAR Central Office. Binibigyang-diin ng kanilang mga talumpati ang mga realidad ng VAW at ang sama-samang responsibilidad upang tugunan ito.

Kasama sa mga aktibidad ng DAR sa 18-Day Campaign ang Bazaar, Poster Making Contest, Orange Exhibit at Food Festival Contest, at End VAW Forums na pinangunahan ni ARCDS Director Agnes B. Mendoza. Nagtapos ang kampanya noong Disyembre 12, 2024, na may serye ng mga aktibidad tulad ng Awarding ng Poster Making Contest, Orange Exhibit at Food Festival Contest, at paglulunsad ng Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) na naglalayong suriin ang progreso at muling pagtibayin ang mga pangakong wakasan ang VAW.

Ang pakikilahok ng DAR sa pambansang adbokasiya upang wakasan ang VAW ay nagpapakita ng kanilang pangako na palakasin ang kababaihan sa mga komunidad ng repormang agraryo at isulong ang kultura ng paggalang at pagkakapantay-pantay, tungo sa mas ligtas at inklusibong lipunan.